Something along the same line, here's a photo of an Adenium that I'd dug from a moving-away neighbor's yard. On a rather steep slope, I was afraid, before I started that the plant had sent it's roots down many feet in the three years it'd been in the ground.
The "soil" was just like the clay ceramics people use to make pots, solid and sticky. The friend had dug the hole, and put the potted plant in. With lots of rain, the plant couldn't use the water, so sat in a bowl of water! The caudex had not developed, but there were lots of feeder roots. I was able to wash the plant out of the ground, I wound up with the hose running, and digging with my fingers.
The puddle in the photo didn't drain before I left, in more than an hour!
Lesson? Plants' roots can't always penetrate the ground they're in. Another trick is to cover the new plant's potting mix with just a little soil, or mulch, as it can dry completely out, while the surrounding soil is quite moist.
Thanks for this tip, Clint!!!
